It’s a good day every time a new study highlights the the role of prebiotic and probiotic rich foods in providing healthy fuel for our gut flora or microbiome.

We need not look further than our garden to improve our gut health.

So a prebiotic is undigested food / fiber found in fruit, vegetables, grains, peas and beans that provide fuel for our good bacteria.

Probiotics are found in fermented foods such as kefir, miso or sauerkraut that contains actual live bacteria that contributes to good gut flora.

The idea is to eat a large variety of foods rich in prebiotics while weaving in small amounts of fermented foods throughout your diet. This would contribute to a higher diversity and volume of good flora and a much stronger microbiome to support health.

Essentially, the health or our gut microbiome effects every area of heath!

You will love this…. Current study authors find that nuts, coffee, tea, dark chocolate, and even red wine also contribute to good gut flora or microbiota diversity. Studies also find that too severely limiting carbohydrate rich foods such as legumes, potatoes and grains result in a less diverse microbiota and not enough food to support optimal levels of good bacteria.

From your garden, local farmers market or healthy grocer, stock your kitchen with plenty plant foods including these top prebiotic rich foods and probiotic rich foods.

Note that fermented foods are a specific method of pickling, but, quite different. Pickled foods are preserved in an acid medium like vinegar. Fermented foods do not contain vinegar and are meant to cultivate the live cultures or probiotics adding healthy flora to our microbiome.